Sedan Passion

One man's obsession and collection of original, unrestored four-door sedans

Feature Article from Hemmings Classic Car

Gather enough of anything and you have a collection. For Jeff Schilling of Patchogue, New York, that thing is the American four-door sedan. After seeing too many over-restored old cars, Jeff decided to start collecting only unrestored, original four-door sedans. He is now the proud owner of five such cars, and racks up about 1,000 miles on each every year. With a one-car garage at home, and room for the rest in storage, the sedans get driven throughout the year--to shows and supermarket alike. Jeff not only enjoys driving his original sedans, but also sharing the stories that these American family cars evoke. Every sedan is kept ready to drive with just a twist of the key.
Jeff revels in being a part of history as it happens, and passing on sedan stories from the past into the future. "The most common thing you hear, because they're all family sedans, is 'That's the kind of car I grew up in,' or 'That's the kind of car my father had.' These cars bring back memories."
Bench seats and column shifters usually won't make top 10 lists of cool things about American cars, but the fact is that there are far more folks who remember a plaid bench seat and a trip out to the lake in the family sedan than those who have first-hand memories of special-order Camaros.
Rather than one coupe, Jeff decided that he could buy a collection of sedans. "The sedans look better to me, and they're not as common out there," Jeff said. "A more practical part is that they're less expensive to buy. I can afford to go out and buy five or six cars as opposed to buying one Chevelle. I might as well enjoy four, or five, or six cars!"
The sedans get an oil change twice a year with Shell 10W-30 high-mileage blend, which Jeff tells us has some zinc in it to help keep vintage engine metallurgy healthy. Jeff then adds a helping of Hy-per Lube for supplemental zinc in the sedans' diet. As all the cars were well cared-for originals, there was no need for major repairs. Carburetors got rebuilt, brake systems were fixed, sagging springs re-arched, and now all the sedans drive like new. Jeff uses the Meguiar's Complete Car Care kit to keep their factory-applied paint protected and the original upholstery properly preserved.
Jeff proudly told us that one of the five sedans is either in his driveway or on the road at all times. "I just rotate them around. I'll use the Impala for a couple days. Put it away. Take out the Rambler, and put that away. Take out the Buick. Whatever I'm in the mood for. It's a great escape and stress relief."
Ironically, these once-common family four-door sedans stand apart when Jeff drives them to any one of the dozens of car shows he attends on Long Island every year. Unlike surrounding one-of-none show cars cloistered by an invisible force field from outer space, Jeff invites folks to slide onto the bench seat and drift back to a time when American sedans were the family car. Jeff plans on holding onto his collection, and eventually passing the cars on to his own sons. Sedan number six is coming soon.
1965 Chevrolet Impala
Jeff found this 24,000-mile Chevrolet after an exhaustive search for an original Impala. Car club listings, newspaper ads, and even the Internet were scoured for months. The big sedan was not a one-owner car, but a one-family car. The Impala passed from grandfather, to father, to son before eventually landing for sale at Country Classic Cars in Staunton, Illinois. The Impala sat motionless for a long time before going up for sale, and needed some resuscitation to make it drivable. Shot drums and leaking wheel cylinders revealed rotten rubber and rusted steel brake lines. Jeff had the entire Impala brake system brought back to factory specifications. Sag had set in out back, so in went a new set of springs.
The two-barrel Rochester carburetor was given a complete going-over, and the Impala now runs as smooth and strong as any 283-cu.in. Chevrolet V-8 should. A foot on the pedal sends the Powerglide automatic transmission through its two speeds with alacrity. The all-original Impala not only looks great on the outside, but also features a blue plaid pattern interior--high style in a reasonably priced sedan from Chevrolet. The car also came with a great deal of its original documentation, which Impala fans enjoy reading at shows.
Jeff spends time driving this sedan, and invests an equal amount caring for the interior and trying to keep errant shopping carts and minivans from colliding with the factory-applied Mist Blue paint. Driving the car attracts a lot of attention, and Jeff revels in hearing tales of the storied Impala in its heyday.
1965 AMC Rambler Classic 770
One sedan with a plaid interior may be enough for some, but not for Jeff. His Solar Yellow 1965 Rambler Classic 770 sports not just any interior, but a Hialeah Plaid interior. While this may sound like Rodney Dangerfield golf-pants plaid, or a suit Phil Silvers might have donned, it is instead a relatively subtle plaid-like pattern molded into the interior vinyl. The 232-cu.in. straight-six Torque Command engine packs Tri-Poised Power three-point engine mounting and a Borg-Warner Flash-O-Matic three-speed automatic transmission. Jeff found the car at a local car show, and decided that it would quench his thirst for mid-Sixties Rambler durability and style. The Rambler rolled over 82,000 miles before Jeff added it to his collection.
The gas-sipping six-cylinder was the progenitor of the modern AMC and Jeep four-liter engine. With a total of seven main crankshaft bearings, the engine still runs smooth and strong. The original interior windlace crumbled after 45 years, but Jeff installed an exact replacement from SMS Fabrics in Oregon.
The unrestored Rambler holds a unique spot in the sedan fleet as Jeff's current favorite car, and attracts the most attention at car shows and events. The Classic 440 and 660 versions paled in comparison to this factory top cat from Rambler. Factory air-conditioning, pushbutton AM radio, and a chrome trim package help make the 770 the Cadillac of Ramblers. The contender from Kenosha matured in Wisconsin and was well cared for through three previous owners.
1966 Buick Special
Moving into the 1966 model year is this Buick Special with Deluxe designation. The differences between the base Special and Deluxe were dual armrests, twin horns, Deluxe steering wheel, carpet and a spear of trim over the rear quarters and doors. Special spelled out in chrome below the trim along with a hood ornament differentiated the Special as a Deluxe. Only 5,501 V-6 Specials were built as Deluxe models for '66, and the sparse configuration of this Buick Special Deluxe makes the car a rare beast indeed.
The original owner of the Astro Blue Buick was himself a Buick salesman from Rittman, Ohio, who evidently ordered the car with the Deluxe package, an optional Super Turbine 300 two-speed automatic transmission and simulated wire wheel covers. All other options were left off the list. Plain black vinyl punctuates the no-frills Buick. There's no radio, and no power steering or power brakes. The car does have a heater and defroster, though.
The 23,000-original-mile Buick V-6 runs smooth and free from oil smoke. Jeff purchased the car from its third owner, who was also a collector. The Buick was sitting in the middle of his re-created service station, complete with lifts, bays, signage and accessories. The Buick was part of the display, yet had never left the town where it was originally delivered to that thrifty Buick salesman. This spartan Special sedan has won not one, but two awards in the original stock category. Buick fans are stunned and amazed by the condition and rarity of this nothing-much-special Buick Special. This Buick is all business, and has four doors to prove it.
1968 Buick Special Deluxe
Bar-B-Que isn't the only thing the City of Fountains is famous for. This Aqua Mist Blue 1968 Buick Special was built in Kansas City, and was bestowed with far more luxury than Jeff's 1966 Buick Special. The interior is resplendent not only in blue plaid pattern but also inlaid vinyl stripes. Options? You bet. Tilt steering wheel. Air conditioning. Power steering. The big Special even packs a power sideview mirror. The car was ordered radio delete, but does have the rare automatic climate control option. No antiquated pulls or sliders are required to bring cabin temperatures to the perfect level of comfort. A turn of the dash-mounted temperature dial control towards red or blue delivers comforting heat or air-conditioned cool.
The only thing Jeff replaced when he took ownership of the Buick was a faded and cracked package shelf. The 230hp, 350-cu.in. V-8 runs like new and is backed by a durable Super Turbine two-speed automatic. The rebuilt two-barrel Rochester holds a good idle and delivers enough go.
The original owner's husband purchased the Buick for his wife so that she could learn how to drive. While the car did make a few trips up and down the driveway, the Buick never hit the road, and the woman passed on the big sedan to her caretaker later on. She, in turn, sold it to an auction, and the sedan ended up at Country Classic Cars. Jeff talked to the caretaker, who still had all the original documentation and the Protect-o-Plate service card, and passed on the legend of the Buick in the driveway.
1980 Buick Century
Last only in chronological order is this ultra-clean 1980 Buick Century. It may be hard to believe, but this Buick is now 30 years old, and a certified classic in its own right. While the plaid interiors of the Sixties were gone by the Eighties, this Century is amazing not only for surviving, but also for appearing locally after a long search by Jeff for such an archetype of the GM Mark of Excellence. Jeff bought the car in the pristine condition seen here from the neighbor of the original owner, who passed the car on to him when she passed away. The neighbor told Jeff the woman took the Buick down to the service station once a month for a checkup without fail. When Jeff saw the well-preserved original condition of the Century and the accompanying original documentation, he added another Buick to the sedan fleet.
The front armrests show that the car was used, but the rest of the interior is in great condition for a New York-driven sedan. Though the Buick is no powerhouse, with the 110hp V-6 under the hood, the engine still runs like new, proving that care and maintenance, along with 30 years of regular oil changes, does pay off. The Century is obviously not quick, but Jeff reports the sedan moves right along once it gets going.
As with his other sedans, Jeff bought this one as a keeper, and was excited to find the car locally after looking for one of his favorite GM body styles for a good long time. This Century was no more than 20 miles from Jeff's home and word of its existence came by way of his involvement in the Long Island Buick Club.

This article originally appeared in the March, 2011 issue of Hemmings Classic Car.